A CONJUNCTURAL MODEL OF POLITICAL-CONFLICT - THE IMPACT OF POLITICAL OPPORTUNITIES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ECONOMIC-INEQUALITY AND VIOLENT POLITICAL-CONFLICT

Violent political conflict has typically been studied either from an e conomic discontent or a political opportunity framework. This study pr oposes a conjunctural model, which hypothesizes that the production of grievances due to economic inequality varies systematically and inter acts with political opportunities to generate violent political confli ct. Using multiple regression analysis, this cross-national research e xamines the interaction between economic inequality and political oppo rtunities, and their direct effects on political violence. Findings pr ovide support for the conjunctural model propositions that political o pportunity structures moderate the relationship between economic inequ ality and violent political conflict. Specifically, the positive effec ts of income inequality and separatist potential on political violence are enhanced in weak states. The impact of class exploitation on viol ent political conflict is moderated by regime structure and political institutionalization. Findings suggest that political opportunity stru ctures may operate in different ways for challenges rooted in class as opposed to ethnic inequalities.